Rotary illuminated motion sign



Ma 22. 1928. LWLOIZ F. A. GRIT'P l ROTARY ILLUMINATED MOTION SIGN Filed NOV. 11, 1927 gwumkoz ting capacity,

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norm: mourners xenon axon.

Application fled illovcmbcr 1;, 1921. Serial no. sauna.

My invention is concerned with illuminatthe type in which a ed display devices of I a screen in such=a picture is pro'ected onto.

' manner that t 'e parts of the picture a pear to move relatively to other parts. Suc devices are well known and usuallyembody a primary translucent screen on which there appears a part or all of the picture-to be d1splayed,.a light-source located behind this screen, a secondary screen: located between the light-source and the primary screen and, having portions of varying light-transmitwhich portions may form parts of the complete picture if all such picture does not appear on the rnnary screen, and means located between t e llght source and the secondary screen for producin alternate bands of light and shadow. w ich travel over such secondary screen and produce on the primary screen complete plcture parts of which ap ear to move relatively to other parts or to t e screen.

It is; the object of my invention to produce .a display device which will display -more than one picture, which may be simply and economica ly constructed, and which will occupy substantially no more space than is required for a-display device embodying but one picture.

i accomplish the above objects by makm the rimary and secondary screens referre linders the surfaces of which are divided ongitudinally into separate picture screens, and within this cylinder 1 locate the light-source and the means for producing the movin Ell bands of light and shadow. Desirably provide means for rotating the two cylindrical screens slowly in order that all pictures rnaiy be presented successively.

he accompanying drawing illustrates my invention: Fig. v1 is a longitudinal section through my complete display device; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and Figs. 3 and 4. are elevations of corresponding outer and inner screen-sections.

In the preferred form of my invention, those parts of each picture which are to appear stationary on the outer or primary screen are painted or otherwise reproduced thereon, while the icture parts which are to appear to move re atively to the screen and to the stationary parts are carried by the corresponding inner screen. This means of m, innmrnmroms, mmnr ASSIGNOB. 'ro em'r, uosnm um mmnu. A ooaroaa'non or INDIANA..-

simulating motion in pictures-is described in V greater detail and claimed in my co-pen apphcation serial No. 141,543, filed'October I fer to construct my new displa de vice in such a manner that it may be or sus ended as by means'of a chain 10 thoug an other convenient mounting means may e employed. When the chain 10 is used, I attach to its lower end a hollow member -11v on the lower end of which is mounted a frame 12 which serves as a support for the light-source and for the means y wluch the screens are located. Near the bottom of this frame 1 provide. a downwardly extending projection 13 to the lower end of which is secured a socket 14 for a light bulb 15.

The means by which rotation of the screen is effected may be of any kind desired; but 18 a when; alternating cur "cut is available, I pree simple form of motor il- .asymmetrical pole piece 18 located in prox- .rotatable disk 19 of non-magneticimity to a material. The disk 19 isconveniently carrled by'a shaft 20 which is rotatably sup- The eddy currents set up in the disk'19 by the effect of the alternating current in the electro-magnet 17 produce a slow rotation of the disk.

Rotatablymounted on the member 11 and frame 12, I provide a gear 22 arranged to mesh with a pinion 23 mounted on the shaft 20. From this gear 22, I support a frame on which the primary and secondary screens or transparencies are carried. This frame may be constructed in any desired manner, but I prefer to form it of a pluralit 25 held in position by means of ongitu inally extending bars 26. The bars 26 are desirabl provlded in their side faces with longitu inal extending grooves adapted to receige the ed es of the outer transparencies 27, as'is clear rom Fig. 2. In addition, there may also be inserted in such grooves sheets ported in suitable bearings in the frame 12.

of rin s,

of clear transparent material 28 which serve in their side faces in order that they may support the inner screens or transparencies 33., L I V The hollow frame formed by the various rings and bars ma be supported. from the gear 22 b means a cross-member 34 which extends iametrically acrossthe upperring and rests on the 'gear 22 in order that it and the entire frame may rotate with such ear. g Asset forth in'my prior application above referred to, ing alternate ands of light and shadow which move across the inner and outer screens .33 and 27, This means may take various forms,'but I prefer to employ the rotor 35 illustrated in the, drawing. This rotor, as. set forth in my prior application, is

conveniently formed of some sheet metal generally in the form of an inverted cu surrounding the lamp bulb and provide with a circular series of slots 36 whichextend from near the bottom of the cup upward along the sides thereof and inward at the top thereof toward the center. These slots may be of any desired shape, but are desirably oblique curves as shown in the drawin I ' %'he rotor 35, while capable of being rotated b the upward current of air heated by the lig t bulb 15 is desirably driven from the shaft 20. To this end, I provide the rotor with an upwardly extending annular projection 37 adapted to be received within a split sleeve 38 carried by a gear 39 which is arranged to be driven from the shaft 20, as by means of the pinion 40 and 'idler gear 41.

' When I construct my device to employ the principle of the invention set forth in my aforesaid prior application Serial No. 141,543, I form the two screens 27 and 33 of transparent or translucent material, such as paper, parchment, or celluloid. Both transparencies carry portions of the desired picture, those portions which are to appear stationary relatively to the outer screen being carried by that screen, while those pictureportions which are to appear to move are carried by the inner screen. Thus, in the case of the screens illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the

- outer.screenf27 bears a representation of a coffee can 40 and a cup and saucer 41; while the inner transparency 33 bears a representation of steam 42 arising from the cup 41 to form a suitable advertising legend. ,Desirably the rear or inner transparency 33 is blank behind the stationary-appearing picture-portions on the front or outer transarency 27, and this outer transparency is lank in front of the moving appearing portions on the inner transparency, as is clear from a comparison of Figs. 3 and 4.

As the rotor 35 rotates, alternate bands of light and sha'dow are caused to pass over the transparencies, and this results in simu- I provide a means for produc lating on each outer transparency anappearance of movement of those picture-portions carried by the corres onding inner transparenc As the screencaring frame is rotated wit the gear 22, the various pictures are successively 7 presented to an 'observer.

The cylindrical arrangement of the inner and outer transparencies gives to the construction described herein an advantage not possessed by the device of my prior appl1cation;'for as a result of curving the two transparencies the side edges thereof are substantially thesame distance from the flight-source and rotor as is the center of the picture. This results in sharper definition and a more regular appearance of motion.

' While I prefer to produce the appearance of motion of certain picture-portions by utilization of the principle embodied in the invention of my aforesaid application Serial No. 141,543, this is not essential; as the appearance of motion can also be obtained, as is well known, byplacing the entire picture on the outer screen and by having the intermediate screen consist of alternate transparent and semi-transparent or o aque portions, or other light-modifying mar 'ngs.

I claim as my invention 1. An illuminated display device, comprising a'rotatable hollow frame, means for rotating said frame, a plurality of primary transparencies, said frame having a circumferential series of openings in which said primary transparencies are mounted, a source of light within said frame, a plurality of secondary transparencies each mounted in said frame between its associated primary transparency and said light source, said primary transparencies having picture parts which are to appear stationary and said secondary transparencies, having picture parts which are to appear as moving, and a movable screen having thereon li httransmitting portions between said light source and said secondary transparencies.

2. An illuminated display device, comprising "a rotatable hollow frame, means for prising a rotatable hollow frame, a plurality of primary transparencies, said frame having a circumferential series of openings-in which said primary transparencies are mounted, a source of light within said frame, a plurality of secondary transparencies each mounted in said frame between its asscciated primar transparency and said light source, said primary transparencies having picture parts which are to appear stationary and said secondary transparencies having picture-parts which are to-appear as moving,'a screen surrounding said light source and having light-transmitting portions, and common means .for rotating said frame and said screen at difierent speeds.

unison and for rotatin In witness whereof, have hereunto set 4. An illuminated display device, comprisinga light-source, inner and outer transparencles arranged around said light source and bearing respectively picture parts which are to appear stationary and picture parts which are to ap ar as moving, a rotatable screen surroun ing said light-source and having light-transmitting portions, and means for rotating said transparencies in said screen.

my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 1st day of November, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twenty seven.

FBANK A. GRITT. 

